10/14/2014

Today we're proud to present the last of three essays from a summer ICO trip out to Aspen, Colorado:

Last year I recall coming home with the news that the Sierra Club was giving a couple of Pritzker students the opportunity to attend one of their multi-day outdoor trips. I never imagined that I was going to be one of the final three students chosen to participate in this once in a lifetime opportunity. I have to admit that I was afraid because this was going to be my first time away without my parents. I had to prepare myself mentally and physically for this trip, but all the work paid off and this turned out to be an unforgettable experience.

We flew out of O’hare on July 26th, 2014, the flight lasted a little over three hours. Upon arrival to Colorado our flight was not able to land right away due to heavy rain and strong winds. Luckily we were able to land safely and embark on an unforgettable journey. A journey that I had the privilege to experience with two other classmates and the best chaperone: Sean.

The first two days we stayed in Aspen to let our bodies get use to the high elevation. On Monday the work begun, we met up with Linda and had breakfast. After breakfast we went to our first campsite to clean the area. We stayed for for about three days. There we got to meet all the other people who were going to be part of this project. We had people come from California, Pennsylvania, and other cities. We had a great group of people and with great teamwork we were able to do an amazing job. There were days on which it rained, but even with the rain we all maintained a great attitude.I made new friends and I hope to be able to keep in contact with them.

For me seeing a bear for the first time was the highlight of my trip. Luckily the ranger was able to scare him away. Apart from the bear we also saw a moose and I was not aware of how much damage a moose was capable of causing. Once again this has been one of the best trips I have been on. This trip was possible thanks to Ms. Lincoln, Pritzker, The Sierra Club, Sean, and Linda. Sean you are a brave person, to have embarked on such a journey with three teenage boys from the city. Thank you for putting up with us and most important helping us get ready for this trip.

09/29/2014

We are excited to share Alexis Sotelo's moving essay about his experience, also in Aspen, Colorado where he was part of an Inspiring Connections Outdoors (ICO) service trip. Thanks to both Aaron and Alexis for sharing their thoughts with the world!

Hello my name is Alexis and I attended the hiking trip at Aspen,Co. The trip was a fun experience because I was exposed to so many new things, such as first time building a trail, first time without being on technology in general, and sleeping in tents for about a week. I was able to learn how to make a trail, and what tools can be used to shape the trail, and a proper way to dispose of the leftover soil by covering the old trails. Making trails seem pretty easy to make, but it’s actually a difficult task because you have to adjust the ground level and the width. I was also able to learn how to work with other people whom I never met before, and learn about other cultures, such as the Greek dance. I learned about not being scared of nature and enjoy nature at its best; for example, by laying down on the ground and watching the trees or just listening to nature. I also learned that it’s always better to be prepared for anything than regretting not being prepared. For example, when it was rainy and one would forget about their waterproof pants or jacket. I was shocked about the fact that I was able to be disconnected from technology and not be bored; in fact, I felt more relaxed, relieved from stress, and up until now I’ve noticed that my mood has improved to being more happy. I also learned that we should not harm animals, and get so close to wild animals, giving human food can damage the animal’s diet. I learned that when you are close to nature, you tend to loosen yourself a lot more because you don’t feel stressed by time, it’s like time does not exist for a big while, and you gain a sort of independence in believing that you can overcome many obstacles.

Something that I would never forget would be about the time Stephanie(from L.A) and I built a tipi/shade by Maroon or Crater lake. I was having this idea of making a shade because the sun was hitting hard and I wanted to cool off, but at the beginning I didn’t believed in myself because I didn’t know where to start from, or about how much time it would take. I noticed that there were a lot of cut down old pine trees laying by the shore and I had this other idea of starting by making a tipi. I began to collect long sticks and place 3 of them to point to the sky in form of a cone. Iwas putting more sticks to hold the frame, and that’s when Stephanie helped me by weaving the wood sticks and supporting the structure. It took us about 2 hours to finish, but we were glad of what we had accomplished. Many tourists were wondering what the purpose of the structure was for, and we told them that it would be for those who wanted to cool off on a hot day. There was this lady who was not happy with the shade because she said that the point of leaving the pine tree by the shore was to revegetate. Another idea came to my mind, I thought this was also a way of recycling nature and still benefit us and organisms who seek for protection of some sort. I viewed this as a way of recycling because we weren’t cutting or harming any other trees, we were using what would probably seem like trash because there were big piles of pine trees reaching about 4 meters high, and they were all over the place. Now every time I feel like giving up I remind myself, who was the one who came up with the idea of creating a shade? Who slept in the woods for nearly 7 days? I saw two snakes, three deer, and a small black bear! This reminds me that I was able to witness things that could have injured me, but didn’t, things I was able to overcome because I was afraid of the dark, and I never believed in myself before, but by making my idea a reality it gave me confidence into never giving up in what could seem to be impossible for me.

Another thing I won’t be able to forget would be about the clear sky at night because you are able to see a lot of stars, colors, and brightness, something beautiful. This was the first time I have seen the sky so different. For a moment I felt like I was on another planet. In Chicago, that’s not possible because of all the air pollution we have. After the trip, I became more confident and independent in the choices and decisions I made in my life, and to place realistic goals on myself.

Many thanks to Linda Gerdenich& Patricia Maurides for organizing the photos of this trip which are used here!

09/25/2014

We're excited to share with you a short essay one of our fantastic ICO participants wrote about a recent outdoor service trip. Many thanks to Aaron Rivera--both for helping to make the Aspen area a better place with your service, and for the essay!

Aspen, Colorado service trip

Aspen, Colorado is such a beautiful place, with amazing views, great weather, and friendly neighbors. This was my first time going to Colorado, and my first Sierra Club trip. I LOVED this trip! This trip brought me so much information about the wildlife, and gave me a greater view of what nature is. I was honored to be a part of this trip and help restore some trails in Aspen.

Being with my ICO leader, Sean Shideler, was really amazing. He was perfect for this trip. He is a really nice guy, and is trained in many areas to help us learn a lot of safety material, basic camping materials, and even how to be a better person by treating our environment with respect. Sean had such a great impact on me; I would LOVE to do more Service trips with him. All the way from Chicago to Aspen and back home, Sean has taught me so much on survival in the wilderness and has prepared really well for this trip.

On the trip we did lots of trail work, and restoration. My favorite trail was on the Iowa Shaft. We were on the side on a mountain working on trails. This was so fun. The group leaders gave us amazing tool breakdowns and safety tips. I learned how to correctly build a trail and how to test if it is built correctly. This trip has also taught me that you need to be ready for anything. It rained every single day in Aspen. I unfortunately, was unprepared for this type of rain. Although I was warned many times, I failed on getting waterproof material. Sean and the other leaders showed the importance of being prepared. Now I will never be underprepared.

This trip was amazing. I loved this trip from start to finish. I really do hope to be apart of more trips like this in the following years.

Many thanks to Linda Gerdenich& Patricia Maurides for organizing the photos of this trip which are used here!

What started out as a conversation over coffee with Vietnam-era Veteran and Professor of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism at the University of Utah, about what we could do together to promote the value of the outdoors for veterans back in 2012, ended up being a first of its kind, international (representatives from Australia and Denmark) symposium bringing together an outstanding group of academics, practioners, speakers, and others interested in how we can harness the power of nature to support our nation’s heroes. Three key note speakers, Vietnam Veteran and acclaimed author Doug Peacock, founder of American Women Veterans, Genevieve Chase, and acclaimed author Eric Blehm, who has followed and reported on our special operations warriors in Afghanistan, created a spiritual underpinning for the conference’s proceedings reminding us why we do the work we do in the first place.

Summarizing what we learned is nearly impossible in the short space of a blog and full conference proceedings will be coming out, but highlights included:

Recognition of the challenges in quantifying the power of nature, something which science can’t fit its calipers around and whose inherent majesty and mystery are part of the reason why so many people find such great solace, healing, and benefit to time outdoors;

Recognition that there is no one size fits all approach for anyone out in nature. Programs for kids, couples, families, individual veterans, even between active duty service members, and veterans often require different approaches.

While some individuals, who fall into what one presenter reported as the 5-20% of veterans who suffer PTSD, may require a more clinical approach, there are others who, even if they do have PTSD, adjustment disorder, or another mental health issue, are seeking different experiences and there’s a requirement that we work with 100% of all veterans and military family members, not just a few;

There is a distinction, often difficult to make between receiving therapy in nature, and having nature serve as a co-therapist, and determining what benefits happen, regardless of therapeutic intent, from time spent outdoors;

The research is limited, and perhaps flawed, that would allow for time in nature to replace existing PTSD and mental health therapies provided by the Veterans Administration; however, different programs are seeking different outcomes for participants that include supporting or encouraging participants to seek out conventional mental health programming, improved physical fitness, nature as a means to provide other therapeutic modalities like yoga, breathing, or elements of conventional mental health;

Mental health as a general rule is not treated like public health or something like infectious diseases wherein work is done to prevent an outbreak unlike mental health where services aren’t typically given until symptoms appear. A change in approach may be needed;

There’s a huge host of anecdotal evidence that time outdoors supports a broad range of positive outcomes for the military and veteran community, but far more research, involving multiple disciplines, is still required, especially if we want policies around treatment, resiliency, access, and conservation to continue supporting, or begin supporting nature and wilderness for our military and veteran community.

A spirited discussion at the end of the symposium presented several challenges to participants as to a way forward that included discussions of how those engaged in this work could serve and act as advocates not just for expanded programming and access to nature for the military and veteran community, but how to also ensure that the places and lands where programming, formal and informal, individual or in groups, took place remained able to host people in their pristine environments.

Dr. Dustin again reminded us all to hold fast to the mystery and power of nature, which got us all involved in the first place. While a book, capturing the presentations as chapters and a second, highlighting the essence of the work of the programs and presenters through photos is forthcoming, suggestions for future work included:

Hosting a second, follow on symposium in 2016 with dedicated outreach to the various interdisciplinary study of the benefit of time outdoors for the military and veteran community could happen in an existing academic conference as one track or be maintained as a stand-alone assembly. Three different universities expressed interest in hosting;

Ensuring representation from this first symposium were able to participate at the Healthy Parks, Healthy People conference scheduled for the summer of 2015;

Finding ways to promote programming and research with the Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense;

What applies to service members, veterans, and their families for the benefits of time outdoors should be equally applicable to all people outdoors: we all need time outside!

Despite the challenges in researching resiliency and preventative measures, more work needs to be done to determine how time outdoors can create resiliency and increase preventative mental health responses

More research on programs not relating to PTSD or TBI, as well as families and active duty service members needs to be represented

An effort will be made to present findings from the research at This Land is Your Land next year during Great Outdoors America Week

There is far more that could be written and far more, no doubt that will be about this event which hopefully will spur a far wider conversation, appreciation of, and participation in, the great outdoors. I know we all look forward to your thoughts, comments, questions, and ideas as we move forward, if you were at the conference or not.

Thanks again to everyone who made, This Land is Your Land, a reality. We hope to see you on a trail soon!

09/18/2014

The 911 climb has come to honor and recognize many things since its inception. It serves as a remembrance of the events of September 11th, 2001 that so radically changed the course of our country. The climb also serves to honor a generation of men and women whose lives were irrecoverably changed in the wars that followed that day.

This year, the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act, the climb took on a special meaning as it celebrated the wilderness that a new generation of veterans now explores after their own wars. This same wilderness I first stumbled into in the Cascades in 2008, found its powerful spiritual and mental healing, and decided that I had to fight for something that gave me so much in return.

Personally, alpine climbing and the wilderness have been my escape, my medicine, my adversary, and most importantly my victory since leaving the battlefield. The risk, camaraderie, struggle, and accomplishment are how I can replicate my best experiences in battle and heal my soul as a result. There are no sounds of the guns; no one shuns the death eyes.

Enjoy our tale.

We began our approach on a scratch of a "climbers" trail that petered out after 2000 feet at a blow down of trees. We then fought sliding alder and devils club, lost a hiking pole while taking a few lumps from angry hornets, and managed to get in a great session of land navigation that took me back to breaking brush through "Wait a Minute" vines that seem to grow at every Army post I've been. One of the characteristics of Washington's best wilderness climbs are that the remote approaches are literal bushwhacks through plants designed by nature to trip your feet, pull at your pack, clock you in the face, and generally not let you pass.

After a few hours and over 3000 feet of elevation gain, we broke out onto the glacial moraine and made our way to the edge of the snow field to find a spot at the base of Mt Torment to bed down for the night. Our initial rocky camp had all of the necessary amenities such as brain freezing water (I suffered four) and a great cooking rock, but as the wind was unkind, we moved to the saddle at the edge of the ridge line found by Kurt's watchful eye. With names like Torment and Forbidden, one would think you would be terrified with views of Mordor and Barad-dur, yet we were treated to a glorious alpine wilderness sunset and a brilliant midnight moon. On a side note, the moon was so bright that I rudely cursed at a groggy Mike who I thought was shining his headlamp into the small opening of my sleeping bag. My apologies, Mike.

We lazily awoke to predawn light, and instead of going to stand too as I have for years (Roger Standing Order No 15 "Don’t sleep beyond dawn. Dawn’s when the French and Indians attack."), we fought the urge to crawl back into warm bags while scarfing down a breakfast of oatmeal and instant coffee. After a quick movement up a snow field and along the moat (The gap between the mountain and snow decided by nature to make scaling mountain walls more difficult), we began our ascent of Mt Torment. Having not climbed either Forbidden or Torment before, I was in high spirits to be making our way up and over rock that was far better than its reputation told. I was especially excited for Mike as this was his first Alpine traverse, and it was an awesome sight to see him develop and become proficient at his new craft over the course of the climb. After a brief stop at the summit of Torment (again it was actually quite pleasant despite its name), we threw on our packs and headed out. It dawned on me that we had reached what typically was the climax of a climb first, and that we still faced a long slog ahead. It felt an appropriate way to honor and represent the events of 911 and our personal wars that followed. We traversed a classic ridge in pairs, sending up and rapping down down features with 500-2000 feet of drop to the glacier on either side. Climb, belay, rappel, repeat for hours...it was wonderful work.

One thing that's thrilling about an alpine traverses is the way that you move. Climbing it in pairs made us fast and efficient. While you use protection (tools such as cams, nuts, and belay devices that keep you usually keep you from falling too far) at really hairy or dangerously exposed places, the majority of the time you are hand belaying or wrapping horns while leapfrogging your partner. Its strange how quickly you get comfortable with moving along with thousands of feet of open space on either side. As you and your partner begin to sink, the movement becomes almost elegant in nature, unless you are Mike who accidentally breaks rocks (Although rumor has it that I may not be as graceful as I let on). The long drop almost ceases to have meaning as you are swallowed up by its scenery, more concerned with making immediate moves and protecting your partner.

We ended our big day at a series of bivy ledges (Bivy is short for bivouac that I believe is French for accidentally having to sleep outside in crappy conditions), where we melted snow, enjoyed a hot meal, and had a few interesting conversations all the while enjoying some of Chris' alpine elixir. Not believing it was possible, we were treated to an even more incredible sunset and Alpenglow on Forbidden and El Dorado Peaks and the Boston Basin. Our slice of alpine home was one of the best places I have spent the night in the world. I had no trouble falling asleep inches away from a several thousand foot drop into gorgeous glacial valley below. The only real challenge was how to strategically and safely relieve oneself without disturbing your partner or groggily falling to one's death while doing so.

The last day we powered up the west ridge of Forbidden. After the previous day's work, the ascent was brilliant and over all too quickly, but we were rewarded with a panoramic view of the Cascades to include a look back at the route we had traveled. Again, I was struck with the significance of the traverse and its meaning to me as a way to honor the journey of my comrades and I in the years that followed September 11th, 2001.

After descending back to our bivy camp, we packed up and began the long walk back to the trail head. We made a series of rappels and some down climbing to the glacier below. Our walk on snow was quick and unremarkable as the hazards were uncommonly minimal this time of year. Sadly, there was not even a bergschrund on this mere remnant of a glacier turned snow field. (Bergschrund is a terrifying German word for mountain tear or crack where the ice and snow pull from the mountain).

For me, the worse part of the climb is the retreat or walkout. Id like to attach some mystical significance to it such as "saying good bye to a wild place or good friends," but in all reality I hate it because the climb is over, I want a cheeseburger and a beer, and time slows to a crawl because I'm bored out of my mind thinking of said cheeseburger and beer. After several hours of crossing gorgeous alpine and subalpine terrain, I was glad our walk was at an end.

Little did we know our worst setback lay on front of us. After getting naked roadside and using a generous portion of cheap body spray to disguise our smell, we made our way back to Marblemount, a gateway to this section of the North Cascades. Much to our horror the BBQ pit we had our sights set on for the last day was closed. Not to be defeated, we found an excellent 80s style pizza joint in Concrete off of highway 20 with good pizza, a Ms.Pacman machine, and the old red plastic fountain drink cups.

A special thanks to Brian Rafferty and the Project Rebirth Team, Outdoor Research, and Suunto for their generous support of our climbers. You made this possible. Thank you Pro Guiding for your professional support for all of our Cascade adventures this summer. Most importantly a thank you Chris, Kurt, and Mike for a climb I won't soon forget.

I'll leave you with this: You too can accomplish amazing objectives in the mountains. You can find the silence of the guns;the acceptance of the death eyes. Find your inner strength that drove you in war, train, and get after it. The only roadblock to accomplishing objectives is you.

09/02/2014

Calling all volunteers for Sierra Club Military Outdoor's 3rd annual 911 Climb. This year's objective is the American Classic Mount Torment to Mount Forbidden Traverse in the North Cascades of Washington State. This climb is not for the faint of heart or the arm chair mountaineer. Mountaineering and rock climbing experience are required to be considered for our expeditionary team.

Our 911 climb originated out of the idea that we as veterans, servicemembers, and first responders should always rember the events of September 11th, 2001. We remeber not only the events of that day, but the following 13 years of war that forever changed a generation.

Every year, Sierra Club Military Outdoors leaders, volunteers, and our most avid participants attempt to challenge themselves in the mountains on September 11th. They do it for themselves, their comrades, and their country. We recreate the comraderie, risk, objective, and purpose of combat in our wildest and beautiful places. These members of the military community learn to move beyond survival, but to live again through exploring, enjoying, and protecting our most wildest places.

Slots are extremely limited.

If you are interested in applying for the trip, send an email with the subject line: ‘YOUR LAST NAME_FIRST NAME White Water’ to military.outdoors@sierraclub.org that includes the following information:

Name

Branch of service, rank, when and where you served (or are serving)

Proof of service

Mountainering Experience

Two sentences about why you want to go on the trip.

Where you will be coming from and if you need help getting to Seattle

Any physical or mental concerns you might have about your participation on the trip (we will aim to make this trip 100% adaptable to your needs)

"The Cedar Mesa country in southeast Utah is a land of convoluted cliffs with arches, natural bridges, hoodoos, spires, hat rocks, ledges, and alcoves. It is a land of flash floods and extreme temperatures that demands much from those who would explore it. It is also an unparalleled museum of geological features and ancestral Puebloan culture. This fascinating culture flowered for more than a millennium and visitors to southeast Utah are treated to a sampling of archaeological wonders."

-A hiking guide to Cedar Mesa

Veterans and Service Members, join the Sierra Club Military Outdoors, the Bureau of Land Management, and Paradox Sports from OCT 3rd through the 9th in an epic cultural, spiritual, and adventurous expedition in one of the most enchanting wild places in our country. After a weekend of celebration and a traditional Navajo healing sweat lodge ceremony, our veterans will explore Grand Gulch and the other surrounding canyons of the Cedar Mesa area through a series of day and through hikes led by Sierra Club Veteran leaders and assisted by local rangers and experts who have a vast knowledge of how to live, explore, and enjoy these sacred natural and historical sites.

General Itinerary:

3 OCT: No later than noon arrive at SLC Airport and move to Cedar Mesa

6 OCT - 8 OCT: Group 1 Day hikes from central camp, Group 2 Hike through of Grand Gulch

9 OCT: Re-consolidate and move to SLC

Travel to and from SLC is the responsibility of the participant. We will provide local lodging in SLC for those arriving on the 2nd or leaving on the 10th. All group gear and food will be provided, a light backpacking packing list will be provided upon acceptance.

If you are interested in applying for the trip, send an email with the subject line: ‘YOUR LAST NAME_FIRST NAME Cedar Mesa’ to military.outdoors@sierraclub.org that includes the following information:

Name

Branch of service, rank, when and where you served (or are serving)

Proof of service

Outdoor Experience (none is required) and other veteran / service member trips you’ve been on

Two sentences about why you want to go on the trip.

Where you will be coming from and if you need help getting to SLC

Any physical or mental concerns you might have about your participation on the trip (we will aim to make this trip 100% adaptable to your needs)

We will let everyone know about their participation no later than Septrember 20th, 2014.

08/22/2014

You hear a lot from us about what our programming is doing here at Sierra Club Outdors, so today, we figured we'd let you know about what our participants think of the programming!

-I had such a great time, the volunteers are so great! I'm so thankful for this experience I wouldn't have had otherwise

-This trip added onto my "wilderness" experience. The bee's were mean, the hygiene system was so luxurious, and the rafting was adventurous. At the very beginning, I was soooo excited to swim and get with one with nature. Now, it's the fourth day and I just want a nice shower. I learned how to be independent, strong, and courageous.

p.s. I can finally take off "jumping off a waterfall" out of my bucket list.

-So my experience ICO was awesome!!! I got to do things that I probably will never do again, thank you so so much!!!!!! Honestly one of the best experiences I ever had. I learned so many new things about the river and nature, sleeping outside and having to go to the bathroom without the technology of a toilet. It was hot but we got through the heat; It was really great. The hike to the waterfall was the hardest for me but worth the beautiful and refreshing experience of the waterfall.

-My experience at ICO was great. It was something new that I've never done before. It was a great experience because I got to experience something new. The hike was my favorite because it was beautiful!! Despite the heat, no bathrooms, no showers and mosquito. I really enjoy being so close to nature. A lot of the people were also really nice, except the iodine water.

-My experience at ICO was AMAZING! I love the people, the river, and the bonding. I truly enjoyed every moment!! The beauty of nature truly impacted me to go out in the wilderness & just have a great time. I thank the volunteers from the bottom of my heart, they inspire me to become one of them. :)

-I enjoyed everything and everyone. LOL. Anyways, the waterfall was truly amazing. It was something I've never seen. It will be a great memory. Even though, it was a long trip it was totally worth it. It was great meeting new people. The stars at night were amazing. The time on the river was EPIC! This trip has inspired me to be more spontaneous and adventurous. I really hope I could become a guide. It was cool to see two of our friends (Fernando and Ricardo) guide us. ICO is awesome and I can't wait to come on another trip.

Love, Peace, and Sunshine

-I'm not going to lie. I have gone rafting before but the other trips do not compare to this one. I have enjoyed myself to the max. Sleeping under the stars, next to the river was fun. Also glad you got to taste my cooking, hope you all enjoyed it. I want to help plan the next trip, and also I have made a lot more friends. Thanks for everything.

-I have gone on many rafting trips. This one was by far the best. I had an amazing time. From the guides, to the food, even the GROOVER! (Not really, that was weird) but I really really loved it.

-At this rafting trip, I had an awesome time. I enjoyed everything we did like camping, rafting, eating, and just getting to know new people. I felt kind of weird to go to the bathroom ha it was akward....Hope I come he with you guys next year. THANK YOU!!! for everything and your help.

-KIPP student =)

-Yo. This was great, living as a big family, helping each other, taking responsibilities for all of our own needs, watching each others backs, and being productive members of society. What really made this trip was the talk of ageism or classism. We all helped out, made each other more comfortable and we learned and taught. This trip, I discovered my own ability to help someone get past a challenge just outside her comfort zone. She was nervous on one log crossing coming back from the waterfall. I was able to talk her through it and after she thanked me for my help. ICO is family.

I am writing to announce that I will be transitioning over the next few weeks from the principalship at UASWC...[we] are all working to ensure a successful transition in leadership...I am confident that our mission will remain as focused and purposeful as it has always been.

As founding principal, this was not an easy decision and I want to personally thank every you for your dedication as a founding partner in delivering a program that challenges students with high college ready expectations, and also provides the supports our students need to reach them – including fresh air! The Sierra Club Inner City Outings Program and your team on a personal level contribute a great deal in engaging students and their families in their education and breaking the cycles of poverty that otherwise limit their opportunities. I am truly grateful to you and the work you’ve done with our students.

08/15/2014

In Washington State, the population of the military community is approximately 40% of the state's total population. Additionally, the revenues generated around the military community, ranging from military installations and their surrounding communities to the aerospace industry are a powerhouse in the state's economy. Why then is the Washington military community an underserved population in regards to outdoor access, outdoor recreation, and outdoor based therapeutic programs?

On August 4th and 5th, I was given the honor and privilege to lead a committee consisting of a diverse cross section of the military community from across the state in attempting to address this issue at Islandwood's second annual Military Families and Veterans Action Summit. While there are numerous brilliant ideas by brilliant people regarding the military community and the outdoors, most seem to never quite materialize out of the conception or planning phase. At the summit, we enjoyed a rare opportunity to plan and action our ideas, not only backed by the direct buy-in of numerous outdoor and military community organizations and sponsors, but we enjoyed the direct support of Washington Senator Patty Murray, Representative Derek Kilmer, and the WDVA Director Lourdes E. (Alfie) Alvarado-Ramos.

In two short days, our team rolled up their sleeves and drew from years of experience in working with the military community in the outdoors in a variety of organizations ranging from hiking and climbing to agriculture and sweat lodges to formulate an actionable plan that would not only serve as part of a comprehensive solution stemming from the Islandwood Summit, but that would also serve as a feasible, achievable, and measurable plan as part of Governor Jay Inslee's Parks and Outdoor Recreation Task Force recommendations.

Our recommendations were broken down under four major categories as follows in brief:

1. Mental and Behavioral Health: The use of the outdoors in the treatment of mental and physical health has proven to be incredibly effective.

- Partner with existing mental health and military community health care organizations for veteran and active duty outreach and to modify existing care (VA and Tri-Care) with privately funded initiatives that increase the scope and effectiveness of existing treatment.

- Encourage the use of alternative therapeutic practices such as outdoor, equine, art, and tribal ceremony as primary forms of treatment as opposed to limited augmentation of existing practices.

- Reach out to military community youth with outdoor programming in order to reach their military parents. Use the children as a means to engage adults in healthier lives outdoors.

2. Research: While numerous examples of anecdotal evidence exists as for the effectiveness of the outdoors in treating mental and behavioral health issues, effective scientific research must be conducted to bring the outdoors to mainstream public health.

- Connect the Washington military community and state and NGOs to existing outdoor research initiatives around the country (U Michigan, California Berkley, Georgetown, and the VA Center of Excellence)

- Generate Washington based research; connect WA universities, nonprofits, government agencies and members of the military community to partner in research that will lead the nation in connecting outdoor therapy and recreation to public health.

- Expand research into the effectiveness of other alternative therapies such as art, equine, and tribal ceremony.

3. Networking, Public / Private Partnerships

- Create a Washington State veteran subcommittee or task force to oversee outdoor recreation and outdoor therapeutic initiatives in direct partnership with the WDVA.

- Design and implement a system of MOUs between community members, NGOs, Universities, and the WDVA to encourage partnerships and cooperation across the state.

- Create a WDVA website to provide outdoor resources for active and veteran community in order to consolidate reputable resources and to provide communication between organizations to better facilitate internal communication for individual service member needs.

4. Funding and Branding

- Create a State or WDVA grant program in partnership with private foundations to empower grassroots organization to conduct effective care, research, and programming for the military community.

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